PACQUIAO WATCH: Hell hath no fury
By Edwin G. Espejo
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 22 Jan 2009
FOR a supposed refined and manor house-bred Swiss banker, Richard Schaefer's pathetic tirades at Manny Pacquiao who rejected an "offer" from the camp of British brawler Ricky Hatton bespeak of his lack of sophistication, to say the least.
On the contrary, he acted like a seething spurned suitor, badmouthing the man he so doggedly pursued before.
Yes, he finally let go of his hidden contempt towards Manny by calling the world's best pound for pound boxing king a "spoiled kid who does not know how to behave."
Still smarting from his boss' humiliating defeat from the man he now calls a swell-head, Schaefer went even farther by saying just because Manny handed Oscar de la Hoya his most lopsided loss capped with a then unthinkable surrender does not mean the Filipino had already inherited the title as the new Golden Boy of boxing.
What a stupid line of argument.
It is not all about greed or title.
Some aptly called it a matter of respect and honor.
This corner believes it is a matter of giving value to what you truly are worth and deservedly so.
Manny indeed comes from a "poorer country" as ESPN's Dan Rafael maliciously said.
But that should not give every Tom, Dick and Harry the license to devalue his worth by offering him a Third World pay, no matter how many zeroes and commas you add up, just because he is fighting a guy who's Lady Queen resides at Downing Street.
Some guys just could not stand giving Manny his proper due because he so happens to live along the equator on the other side of their world.
The sooner they get rid of Manny, the better off they think they will be.
Richard, how stupid can you be in offering Manny a purse for a fight then give him ultimatum because he won't budge at the figures you wanted him to swallow hook, line and sinker and then goes on to ridicule him as a greedy man.
At least Manny did not name you names except standing by his conviction that it is all about respect and honor.
He may not have an Ivy League diploma and he may have eaten with his bare hands before but Manny showed some class by refusing to dignify the insult hurled on him.
And Ricky, please tell you namesake you really wanted this fight to happen and give Manny what he rightfully deserve. You will earn not just the respect of the Filipinos but also all the boxers who wanted to be recognized as the number one fighter in their respective era, the reason why elite boxers are fighting elite competition they needed to earn that distinction.
It is Manny's title you are going for and your chance for redemption after a humbling knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Cut the crap. Pretty Boy won't come out of retirement to give you another chance without going through Manny.
Manny is currently the man and unless somebody dislodge him from that perch by proving it atop the ring, nobody can't take that title away from him because of purse dispute.
Manny earned his ticket to superstardom by fighting the best out there. Three fights with Erik Morales, two with Marco Antonio Barrera and two more with Juan Manuel Marquez. He fought for less money and moved up several divisions against the advice of many of his handlers and friends to prove that he has what it takes to become an elite fighter.
Ricky, you already did that with your gallant effort against Floyd Mayweather but you failed in your first try. You will do yourself and the sports of boxing another favor by fighting Manny regardless of the purse equation.
Win convincingly against Manny and you will take that P4P king title from him. By then, you will have earned the right to demand a bigger purse for yourself.
But right now, it is Manny's time and he is the man.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Edwin G. Espejo.
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